Ema (2017)

Ema is a siren who has guided dead souls into purgatory for over 5000 years, serving the ghosts that entrap her to the shore. A baby comes into Ema's life and she cares for him until the very ghosts she serves kidnap him. Ema sets off on a quest to find and retrieve her son, leading her to form an immediate bond with Dea, a lonely, young woman by the shore who aimlessly searches for her lost parents. United in their mutual desire to find their loved ones, Ema and Dea set sail for purgatory but, along the way, Dea vanishes, leaving Ema in a state of panic. A bushy-haired fisherman notices Ema in the distance and comes to her rescue. Ema finds herself redressed in the home of Aida, a mystic with amnesia. Aida informs Ema that the ghosts are not ready to speak with her, leaving Ema waiting for their call with Aida's son, Karlo, her rescuer. After Ema fleas from Karlo's advances, she hides in an open cave where a young man, Emal, charms her out of hiding back to Karlo, much to Ema's chagrin. When they make amends, Karlo goes to work, leaving Ema and Emal alone to spend some time together on the beach. This time is cut short after Ema falls unconscious due to the mineral water she drank, finding herself back in Aida's care. With the drama of Aida's forgotten life as mother to an unsuspecting young girl re-emerging and a sense of kinship reforming between Ema and Karlo, the two make good on their plans to go out drinking with Emal. Under the table, Karlo spikes Ema's drink, leading Emal to spill a drink on Karlo so as to get some time alone with Ema away from their table. While getting acquainted with one another, Emal mentions a myth on the fatal nature of making love to a siren, which Ema admits is true, leading Emal to reject Ema's advances before running away. Back at Aida's, Ema is informed that the ghosts will now allow her to see her baby, and that she may go with Aida's love, El Jeffe, to the island of purgatory, Brac. On El Jeffe's boat, Ema notices a familiar face in the cabin. She calls out to the woman, Lea, who is Dea's mother, and the two discuss the nature of motherhood before Ema admits that she is a foster mother. Upon arriving at Brac, Ema searches for signs of life around purgatory before sitting down with a ghost, Nela, who does not know where she is. As they say goodbye, Ema reminisces on what her baby means to her before hearing his distant cries. Ema runs towards him and uncovers the dirt beneath which he cries out before she lifts her son out of the ground with tears of joy streaming down her face.